Anyone have Luck growing Paw Paw

[PhilaGardener]

They can be tricky to get established (and don't transplant well) but then seem to do well. I have never seen them in the wild here in SE PA but they are supposed to grow in the area. I have seen them occasionally in local farmers' markets. Note you need two different individuals for good pollination. I picked my first pawpaws from my yard this year and they were small but quite tasty!

 

[baymule]

@journey11 can you save seeds for some of us TEG'ers?

 

[journey11]

@journey11 can you save seeds for some of us TEG'ers?

Sure, they are very easy for me to come by. I might already have some in my seed stash, I'm thinking two years old. They need cold-stratified to germinate. They'd do well sown in a container and left outside for the winter.

 

[Nyboy]

@PhilaGardener do I have to worry about male/female like kiwi? Or just 2 different varieties?

 

[PhilaGardener]

Just different varieties. Both trees will fruit but they require cross-pollination (by flies, as noted above). The old Quakers in our area used to hang a piece of rotting meat in the trees to get good fruit set.

 

[Smart Red]

Hum-m-m-m-m, I wonder what else the rotten meat brings to their yards? It is a good idea, though.

 

[Nyboy]

Dogs love the smell of rotted meat so much they will roll in it, to smell like it. Those are some panicked phone calls I get when dogs do that.

 

[thistlebloom]

Are you ordering from Burnt Ridge? I took a peek, and there's a lot of varieties to choose from.
It was interesting to read that if you come across a group of pawpaws growing together, they are likely all root clones. They need cross pollination from a different pawpaw tree. Being root suckers is also what makes them difficult to transplant from the wild. Much like aspen trees.

I'm giving it a thought, they are hardy to -25. I'm not sure if I'd like the fruit, it's been described as banana custardy. Not my favorite flavor.
But it would be nice to have some diversity in the fruit trees.

 

[Nyboy]

Thistle yes I have ordered a few times from Brunt Ridge always happy. Tree have been well rooted, plus it is a family nursery, I like that. LOL I like banana custard @journey11 said kind of Mango like .

 

[thistlebloom]

After reading more on this site, I don't think my climate and soil is a good match.
If I'm going to have to spoon feed and diaper a fruit tree to keep it alive I think I'll go with apricots. I've got 3 fails on them now, but am willing to try again.